Halp! Pup is birdy!

[ActionJackson017]

Perhaps too birdy. :)

My 5 month old lab loves finding the wings I stash around the back yard for her. It's one of her favorite games and I'm quite pleased in how she will SIT until I release her, and then use her nose to find the target. I stash them in places she cannot use her eyes to find and she's accustomed to relying on her nose.

So, I brought back a few grouse wings from my hunt last week, and took her out to train.. as usual, she wants to eat the damn things instead of bringing them back to hand. Any regular training item she will generally retrieve to hand, but when it comes to wings she damn near gobbles them down before I can pry the mangled feathers out of her jaws.

On one hand, I'm glad she's birdy but on the other, I don't want her eating my lunch! Any thoughts or suggestions?

Here she is now, by the way... up to 30 lbs.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/8060680054_10bc4b33c3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/81550522@N03/8060680054/)
SAM_0753 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/81550522@N03/8060680054/) by ActionJackson017 (http://www.flickr.com/people/81550522@N03/), on Flickr

[Ghengis Khandrey]

I think youre supposed to keep her on a check cord so if she doesn't return you can reel her in, get her to drop, then treat/praise.

[Kasomor]

Once the wings are completly dry, take the wings and tape them on to a 3" bumper. Use electical tape. tape at both ends so the wing is not loose at either end.

I have wings on bumpers that are MANY years old.

If pup isn't bringing the bumper back to you put her on a long line, as suggested, and give her a tug to come back to you, while jumping up and down, super excited, making a fool of yourself, run in the opposite direction, if needed to get pup back to you. If she drops the bumper.... so what, she came to you and THAT is what her issue is so she is still doing the right thing just by coming to you. The art of using a long line if your dog is as birdy as you say she is ...is knowing when to give that tug to get her to come back instead of taking off to eat the wings :mrgreen:

HOWEVER, first review your "here" command with pup with on a long line, then add distractions...such as kids playing, other dogs around, etc.. When she is solid with that at an 20 yards distance....then put the bumper/ wing out for her at 6 feet away from you and increase the distance once she is coming to you succesfully.

Also when she gets to you with the wing/bumper do NOT take the bumper away from her. Hold on to her, pet her, fluff her up and tell her she is the best dog in the world...then take the bumper away and play the game some more.

[ActionJackson017]

Excellent advice, thank you both. Love the idea of taping wings to the bumper.

[Foxton Gundogs]

What Kas said but I add scent and store them in a freezer bag the scent remains for a good long while and adds to the realisam of it and alowas the pup to still use theit nose.

[yamadirt 426]

She is very pretty! Mater was hard on birds at that age. I cant give any advise that hasnt been said but she will grow out of it. Good luck.

[dutchie]

what I did was keep the dog on a long check cord... as soon as it retrives then say your recall comand and if the pup does not respond then as Kas said, give them a tug. and make sure the dog will come to you. Act like a fool in excietment! they dog wants to please you but right now the bird is on the dogs mind!

Do not take the bird from the dogs mouth right away. rather let the dog hold it and praise the dog for the retrival of the bird. This is positive re-enforcement of what you want the dog to do!

If you take the bird away right away then the dog will not retrive to hand because you are always taking it away!

I would also start to think about force fetching the dog. maybe not until it is mature but this is a vital tool to having the dog perform in the field and it also adds in a certain amount of obediance to the regime of the hunt!

cheers and good luck

Dutchie

[yamadirt 426]

If you take the bird away right away then the dog will not retrive to hand because you are always taking it away!



Dutchie

This is important and what im dealing with at the moment. The dog retrieves but to my feet instead of hand.

[yamadirt 426]

I can get him to clean up the backyard toys pull a wagon or carry a cooler and retrieve all these items to hand but the birds go to my feet. I can think of worst problems to have but ... Im likely going to have to start over on this.